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13th-Sep-2018

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Reuters, Cairo :Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki described on Tuesday President Donald Trump's decision to halt U.S. funding for the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA as an attack on international law.Trump's decision has left UNRWA trying to cover a $200 million shortfall from Gulf and European donors, and has further strained tensions between Washington and the Palestinian leadership.Relations have sharply deteriorated since Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital last year, reversing decades of U.S. policy and prompting Arab warnings that it could fuel crises in the region. Foreign governments and organizations, with exceptions including Israel, criticized the move."The U.S. administration has begun to attack the rights of the Palestinian people and international law," Maliki said at a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo, convened to discuss the issue.Internationally-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have stalled since 2014 and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have steadily expanded.Palestinian leaders say their political situation has deteriorated since Trump took office in 2017 as Washington has pursued policies that favor the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is a close U.S. ally.Netanyahu has broadly welcomed Trump's support.On Monday the United States also announced it would close the office of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Washington for seeking to punish Israel through the International Criminal Court."The United States has made the right decision regarding the PLO mission in Washington," Netanyahu said in a written statement on Tuesday."Israel supports the American steps which are meant to clarify to the Palestinians that refusing to negotiate and trying to attack Israel in international forums will not advance peace," Netanyahu said.Turkey, one of the strongest critics of Washington's Middle East policy, said on Tuesday that the decision was a worrying step and "another sign that the USA has lost its impartial stance on the Middle East peace process".Washington said last month that it was halting all funding to UNRWA. Last week, Trump ordered that $25 million earmarked for the care of Palestinians in East Jerusalem hospitals be directed elsewhere as part of a review of aid.The United States said UNRWA's business model and fiscal practices made it an "irredeemably flawed operation".Jordan, a U.S. ally, said the decision would only fuel radicalism and harm prospects for Middle East peace.Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said at the Arab League that Jordan would hold a meeting "in cooperation with Sweden, Germany, Japan, the European Union and Turkey" on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly later this month "in an effort to get more aid".Three Gulf States have announced a total of $150 million in funding for UNRWA this year, and other countries have made new or increased contributions as the agency scrambles to continue operating."I humbly appeal to all of you to ensure the pledges that were made (to UNRWA) are indeed transferred," the head of UNRWA Pierre Krahenbuhl told Arab League delegates in Cairo. "Please also consider opportunities for further donations at this critical time."Internationally-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have stalled since 2014 and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have steadily expanded.

AFP :Three leading Hong Kong democracy campaigners pleaded not guilty on Monday to public nuisance charges over their involvement in massive rallies calling for political reform, as room for opposition in the semi-autonomous city shrinks under an assertive China.The pioneering trio are among nine activists all facing public nuisance charges ...

President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Nazmul Hassan Papon MP assumed the post of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President for a two- year term at its Annual General Meeting held in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Saturday.Nazmul Hassan Papon is the 3rd ACC President from Bangladesh following in the ...

AFP, Kandy :Jack Leach's first five-wicket haul clinched an overwhelming win for England in the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday that sealed the series with a match to go.England needed just 30 minutes on the fifth day to take the final three wickets with Leach fittingly getting last ...

THE ongoing trade war between the US and China has created a better opportunity for Bangladesh, especially for garment sectors. The exporters have been receiving a greater number of work orders from both China and the US. The current trade war has opened an opportune moment for us (Bangladesh) as ...

AFP, Colombo :Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday called crucial talks with political leaders in a bid to end a power struggle with the prime minister he sacked last month.The Indian Ocean nation has been paralysed since October 26 when Sirisena deposed Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him ...

AFP, Washington :The US government has not reached a final conclusion over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the State Department said Saturday following reports that the CIA had held the Saudi Crown Prince responsible."Recent reports indicating that the US government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate," State Department spokeswoman ...

Actress Kriti Sanon who has her hands filled currently with multiple projects has started taking Marathi lessons for her upcoming next. The actress who is currently shooting for Housefull 4 has already begun prep for her next, Panipat. As Kriti will be seen essaying the role of a Maratha queen ...

Actor Sridevi, who died unexpectedly earlier this year, will be posthumously honoured at the 49th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Sridevi, who had an illustrious career spanning over four decades, died at the age of 55 due to accidental drowning in Dubai earlier this year. The actor ...

Campus Report :In recognition of his vision to digital transformation of society, skill management to imbibe the spirit of entrepreneurship in every youth, and social contribution to destitute children through Daffodil Institute of Social Sciences (DISS) in association with Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, India, the management of ...

Neymar kept his cool to score the controversial penalty that fired Brazil to a 1-0 win over Uruguay in a full-blooded friendly on Friday.Brazil captain Neymar was subjected to some ferocious fouls from Uruguay as the clash between the South American rivals boiled over at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.But the Paris ...

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday announced the squad for the first Test of two-match series against the West Indies (WI) with ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to the squad.Another big-name inclusion in the squad is Soumya Sarkar, whose last Test appearance came on the tour of South ...

THE Police Investigation Bureau (PIB) has unveiled the mystery behind a spine-chilling crime where a middle-aged woman passenger was killed inside a running bus at Ashulia in the outskirts of Dhaka city. It took hardly seven days for them to crack the case. Police have already arrested the murderers along ...